When do fanfictions go too far?

[Madara XIII]

When fan-fiction goes to far? Well, My Immortal is a pretty good example.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH GOD DAMN YOU!!! I remember actually listen to my friend read that as a joke and we both laughed so hard at how bad that was DX.

UGH! Made me hate emos even more than I do and made lose any interest I had in Harry Potter.

 

[Madara XIII]

I've yet to read fanfiction that wasn't godawful.

There I said it.

I'll leave now.

Read My Immortal, the Harry Potter Fanfiction and see if your view on that doesn't chance....

*Shudders* Dear God

Scorpion! Burn this Image from my mind DX

<youtube=fTyIKnRQdx0>

 

[KiraTaureLor]

So, I've been developing this idea for a graphic novel for a long time now, and it's getting close. It has a lot to do with ethics, religion, and the effects of prolonged warfare on the mind, as well as some pretty snappy fight scenes. The design is starting to shape up, I'm beginning to understand the intricacies of the human form, and I've been working with a wide variety of pens now. This really could turn into something good.
http://daaaahwhoosh.deviantart.com/art/Covenant-Sangheili-Space-Recon-203360485

Only problem is, it's a fanfiction. Believe me, I know that's a dark path to go down, but I just felt that there was such a good famework, and one hell of a plot hole to fill, so I thought I'd go for it. I make almost no reference at all to the story of Halo, and none of the main characters ever show up. I'm just using the universe as my foundation, the house is basically all mine.

What I'm asking, basically, is can a fanfiction ever be taken seriously as a standalone story, or will it always be cast as a strange fantasy written by a die-hard fanboy? Because if that's the case, I might still be able to change it.

If it's that much original, none mainly focused on the characters I advice that you make an "original foundation" that could be similar to halo, because halo is not that original itself either. Or better find a foundation that is more serious than Halo. Like a a classic novel from the olden days when people had creativity.

 

[Quaxar]

When there's sex between two characters that should NEVER EVER EVER HAVE SEX.

Pretty much what this guy said.

Also, anything like My Immortal is bad. No exceptions.

What about Muffin?

Also, thanks for making me read My Immortal. Now I have to endure this I-don't-even-know-what-to-call-something-like-that to the end. It'd be actually amusing if it weren't for the dumbness-inducing spelling.

 

[Gigano]

...
What I'm asking, basically, is can a fanfiction ever be taken seriously as a standalone story, or will it always be cast as a strange fantasy written by a die-hard fanboy? Because if that's the case, I might still be able to change it.

It probably always has the presumption that it's merely the unfulfilled fantasies of extremely devoted fans against it, but there's nothing to say it couldn't ever be taken seriously if enough effort was put into it. While I can't recall any specific instances, I even believe there are cases where well written and popular "fan canon" has been canonized into the official version of an established universe.

As for the title question of when fanfiction goes to far; Never.

So long as it remains fanfiction - and isn't used for commercial purposes, which could constitute misuse of goodwill - there are no limits to what can be written. And since it's all fictional and not forced upon anyone there's no limit to what should be written either, even if the author him/herself is the only person in the world who'd ever derive the slightest bit of enjoyment from it.

 

[XIII's Number XIV]

A: Bad grammar without ever correcting it, or at least acknowledging it.
B: Fan character ronchiness ('specially OCxFC) for wish fulfillment, ugh.

When there's sex between two characters that should NEVER EVER EVER HAVE SEX.

And this too.

(Can anyone point me to that "My Immortal" thing everyone's talking about? Need something to give me a good laugh/headdesk...)

 

[ZeroMachine]

A: Bad grammar without ever correcting it, or at least acknowledging it.
B: Fan character ronchiness ('specially OCxFC) for wish fulfillment, ugh.

When there's sex between two characters that should NEVER EVER EVER HAVE SEX.

And this too.

(Can anyone point me to that "My Immortal" thing everyone's talking about? Need something to give me a good laugh/headdesk...)

I... have the link to it... I looked it up out of curiosity. But the thing is, not only is it painful to read, you reach a point where you realize there's no way this is seriously written. It's just too obvious that it's a parody of fanfiction writers like it.

So, here you go:

http://myimmortalrehost.webs.com/chapters122.htm

But remember, there if this was written by someone who actually thought every word she wrote was gold, I will eat my fucking shoe.

 

[ZeroMachine]

And then there's "Cloud Mows the Lawn"....

Excuse me, I need to go shower.

Mows the... Ok, this I got to see.

*searches*

Oh...

N...no...

No.

NO.

NOOO!

Spoiler: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGRRRBLGRABLEBLARGLEBLARB

 

[XIII's Number XIV]

A: Bad grammar without ever correcting it, or at least acknowledging it.
B: Fan character ronchiness ('specially OCxFC) for wish fulfillment, ugh.

When there's sex between two characters that should NEVER EVER EVER HAVE SEX.

And this too.

(Can anyone point me to that "My Immortal" thing everyone's talking about? Need something to give me a good laugh/headdesk...)

I... have the link to it... I looked it up out of curiosity. But the thing is, not only is it painful to read, you reach a point where you realize there's no way this is seriously written. It's just too obvious that it's a parody of fanfiction writers like it.

So, here you go:

http://myimmortalrehost.webs.com/chapters122.htm

But remember, there if this was written by someone who actually thought every word she wrote was gold, I will eat my fucking shoe.

My eyes...they bleed. *shoves Z-saber into head*

Seriously? Was that actually written as a trollfic or is it serious? I really have to know.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

When it becomes obvious they've never read/watched/played the original content.

When they get characters to get in relationships they obviously shouldn't.

When the picture or writing are horrible and hilariously bad without them meaning to be.

Someone reposted the story on FF.net, here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4719325/2/My_Immortal_REPOST

If you want to read something else that is just as terrifically terrible, look up "The Wolfblood Lineage" which is, sadly, a troll-fic, but even with that information in mind, it is terrible in its own right.

And then there's "Cloud Mows the Lawn"....

"My Immortal" was appalling. "The Wolfblood Lineage" was dreadful. "Harry Potter and the Story of Eliza" was ludicrous. "Cloud Mows the Lawn" IS A CRIME AGAINST THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND IS QUITE POSSIBLY THE MOST DISGUSTING PIECE OF WRITING YOU WILL EVER LAY EYES ON! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Excuse me, I need to go shower.

Don't tell me you've never read My Little Pony Cupcakes fanfic.

Don't read it. THAT is an abomination to all literature.

 

[intheweeds]

Personally? I dont take fan fictions seriously. I like the work done by the original authors and in my mind, they will always just be the work of a fan. I dont want to spend time on work that isn't cannon, and that will never be.

Thats not to say that the work isn't creative. A lot of time and energy goes into such deep works. However myself, I probably wouldn't take the time unless cited by the creator.

I personally agree with him. However, regardless of whether it is fan fiction or not, it has to have a good story to begin with. If it doesn't feature any of the main Halo ip, why not just make it your own? Your art is very good btw! I would love to see it completed.

 

[PatSilverFox]

Never, too his his own imo.

 

[Puzzlenaut]

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever do fan-fic of an anime or manga if you don't speak goddamned Japanese. In fact, just don't do one at all.

I've seen fanfics easily as bad as My Immortal out there in the form of stupid kiddies who think because they can use a translator they are instantly god's gift to literature.

Also, try to do one based off books rather than films/TV shows, games or comics. It works better.

 

[triggrhappy94]

Easy, when the tenticles start showing up

 

[ReservoirAngel]

When there's sex between two characters that should NEVER EVER EVER HAVE SEX.

That's part of what appeals to me in fanfiction. You know, provided the characters are hot.

 

[Dimitriov]

Fan fiction goes too far when you expect other people to read it.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

Fan-fiction really doesn't go "too far". It kind of has a culture of excess built around its writing and that is kind of a blessing for it considering the reason people read it.

I would never take a fan-fiction seriously as a stand-alone story (or even read it being perfectly honest), but there are some people who do. So, go ahead with it if you'd like. If you want a wider range of people who will view your story seriously change it. If you're fine with a few people really into fan-fic, don't.

edit-

Fan fiction goes too far when you expect other people to read it.

Zing!

Made me laugh.

 

[Generalzdave]

I've met a ton of people who do fan fiction, mostly for their personal enjoyment. I've read ones suggested to me that were serious, and most were lackluster, generously. I think a fan fiction goes too far when the writer abuses the subject matter, and in no other way.

They tend to do this mostly in the ways described above as awful, by forcing two characters to fornicate, or by even doing a fan fiction on something which is clearly allergic. A good example doesn't come to me at the moment, but it would be something heavily story-based, and still good with that heavy amount of story. They tend to tread over the subject matter if they use established characters, or diminish it if they don't.

There's less opportunity to mess up if you do something that isn't heavily story-based, but you still have to supply the precedent action or dialogue to make up for it so as not to piss off the fans of that property. It's pretty hard to make a good fan fiction that more than a handful of people will like, and near impossible to make one that even comes close to the quality of the original.

Mostly going to far is intentional, I've rarely seen it come from oblivious "good writing", in the author's opinion, but it's a riskier business than going over a mine field while on heroin and charging people to watch you do it. That, too. Making a business of it is way over the line, too.